


To Dream

by AmberstarTheCat



Series: The Light of Infection [2]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Modern AU, PK is named Lucius, i guess, impending zombie apocalypse, implied/referenced child murder, referenced attempt to conquer Deepnest, zombie apocalypse AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26587171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberstarTheCat/pseuds/AmberstarTheCat
Summary: To protect the Vessel, the Dreamers lay sleeping.Monomon the TeacherIn her Archive, surrounded by fog and mist.Lurien the WatcherIn his Spire, looking over the city.Herrah the BeastIn her Den, amidst the deep darkness beyond the nation.Lucius, the leader of Hallownest, needs to find three bugs willing to be put into an eternal sleep to seal away the Radiance and stop the infection spreading through the world.  He finds bugs (mostly) willing to help, but it won't be as easy as simply asking them to.
Series: The Light of Infection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934032
Kudos: 6





	To Dream

**Author's Note:**

> I'm having writer's block for the next chapter of The Light of Infection, but thought of this idea. However, it wouldn't really fit with the flow of that fic, so I'm making this little side fic to give some backstory on the Dreamers and how the Pale King (who is named Lucius in this AU since it's derived from the Latin word 'lux', which means light and that seems fitting) convinced them to become Dreamers.

**_"Herrah the Beast  
In her Den, amidst the deep darkness beyond the nation."_ **

* * *

The small bug walked through the village, the expression on his pale face unreadable. He hoped he could get the bug he was going to see to cooperate, it was integral to his plan of stopping the disease that was spreading through the world. He glanced around at the village, fighting the urge to show his distaste at how...primitive the place looked. He was honestly surprised that the place was one of the highest producers of silk and clothing, considering how little technology there was.

He narrowed his eyes as a weaver scurried up to him and the two stoic bodyguards he had brought with him. He glanced over and saw the bugs pull out their guns in an almost robotic motion, clearly ready to fight if something went wrong. He motioned for them to lower their weapons before looking at the bug in front of him. "I have something I need to discuss with your queen," he said to them, and they glared at him.

"What do you wish to talk to Queen Herrah about?" they asked, and he could tell that the weaver didn't want him there.

"That's none of your concern, this only involves your queen," he replied coolly. They narrowed their eyes suspiciously before scurrying away, returning a few minutes later to lead him to their ruler. He bit back a growl as cobwebs stuck to his clothes and horns, trying to brush some off the sleeve of his suit. Unfortunately that just ended with the strands sticking to his claws instead.

Soon they reached a room, still covered in cobwebs, with a large spider inside. She was talking to another spider, who was not as big as her but still quite big, but turned around when they entered the room. As soon as she noticed him she growled softly. "What is _he_ doing here?" she hissed to the weaver next to him.

"He wished to speak with you, my Queen," the weaver said, bowing respectfully to the larger spider.

"What makes you think you can just stroll in here and talk to me like you _didn't_ insult my people and our culture or tried to conquer us and force us to be a part of your little nation?" the spider snarled at him, and he crossed his arms as he tried to remain civil.

"While I do find your customs to be a bit... _crude_ , I feel that cooperation would be in our best interests, Herrah," he replied. The spider glared at him.

"Personally, I feel like it would be in _your_ best interests to leave. Why do you think I'd be willing to cooperate with you, _Lucius_?"

He let out a low, angry growl at the way the spider hissed his name, before regaining his composure and looking at her impassively. "Because doing so would mean ensuring the safety of your people as well as my country, not to mention millions of other bugs."

Herrah looked at him disbelievingly. "What are you implying?" she asked, folding her upper pair of arms across her chest.

"I am working on a way to stop the infection that's endangering the lives of every bug in the world. Your cooperation is _extremely_ important to my plan," he stated sternly. The spider thought for a minute before sneering.

"So, what you're saying is that you need _my_ help? After you've tried to overpower me and my people, and have acted like you're better than us, you decide to come ask me for help?"

He scowled, knowing what the queen had said was true. "Yes," he muttered, knowing that it was probably best for him to just admit it outright, despite how much he hated to. The spider let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, that's hilarious! Why would I or any weaver help _you_ , when you've done nothing but look down on us and have the audacity to call us _uncivilized_?"

"Because if you don't your tribe could be wiped out."

That seemed to give the spider queen pause, before she narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think that disease will spread here? My spiders haven't had to deal with it at all."

He frowned. "It's only a matter of time. Even seemingly isolated bugs have contracted it. If it isn't stopped soon, the whole world will fall to it." Herrah frowned and glanced at the spider next to her and then the weaver, before looking back at him.

"What's in it for me? I won't just help you without any sort of payment, not after how you've treated my people."

He grimaced. He should have known that it wasn't going to be so easy, but he needed her help so he had no choice. "What would it take?" he asked, hoping it would be something simple and easy to give.

"Come with me, we'll discuss this in private."

* * *

Herrah looked at the small bug in front of her, the way he glowed slightly in the darkness of her den making her uncomfortable. She could tell that the cobwebs that had stuck to his pale suit and horns were making him just as uncomfortable, and she smirked slightly. "So? What do I need to give you in order for you to cooperate?" Lucius asked, clearly annoyed.

"First, I want to know what you need me to do," she answered. The pale bug huffed quietly as he impatiently answered.

"I have figured out the source of the infection, and the only way I can think of to stop it is to seal it away."

"So what does that have to do with me? And what do you mean, 'source'?"

"This disease seems to be caused by an angry goddess, if I am able to seal her away she will not be able to spread the infection anymore. But in order to seal her properly, I need three bugs to go into a deep sleep. You'd be one of them."

She scowled. "What do you mean by a deep sleep?" she asked suspiciously. She didn't question the fact that he had said a goddess was the cause of the infection. She was aware that the bug in front of her wasn't a normal bug. Not only did he glow seemingly without any bioluminescent features, but she had seen him use magic when he had attacked her tribe, something an ordinary bug couldn't do. She did wonder what could have angered a goddess so much that she'd unleash such a horrible infection on the entire world.

Lucius sighed. "You'd be put into an eternal sleep to act as a failsafe incase she escapes the vessel that will contain her. I'm afraid that's the only solution I can come up with."

"Sounds like you're just trying to leave my tribe leaderless and vulnerable. I don't know if I quite trust you."

"I'm not. It's the only way to stop this."

She frowned, thinking it through. On one hand, she'd be leaving her tribe leaderless, and susceptible to her enemy's military force. On the other, if he was telling the truth and she refused, her people might get destroyed by the infection. Then she had an idea. "Very well, I will help, but first you must give me an heir so that my tribe will stay strong."

The pale bug's eyes widened in shock. "W-what!?" he spluttered, clearly not expecting her demand.

"You heard me. Give me an heir, and I will help," she responded coolly. The small being in front of her stared for a moment before growling softly.

"Why do _I_ have to give _you_ an heir?"

"It's a matter of ranking, to put it simply. I was just a normal spider that married into royalty. My people will not fully accept a spider that is purely of common descent as their leader. However, I have a good idea about what _you_ truly are, Lucius. I saw you use magic, during a few of your attacks on my tribe. And I don't see any bioluminescent body parts on you, so there should be no reason for you to be glowing in the darkness of Deepnest. You're some kind of god, aren't you?"

She saw surprise flash in the bug's dark gaze, before it was hidden by the stoic professionalism he'd had before. "You would be correct, I suppose," he said, clearly trying to hide the reluctance in his voice.

"If my heir is half-god, then my people will accept them as their ruler. Simple."

Lucius snarled angrily. "I have a _wife_ ." Who was slowly growing more distant from him, filled with grief over the thousands of their own children he- No, he was _not_ going to think about that, it was necessary to his plan. It was their fault for not being hollow. The spider queen looked down at him.

"Do you want my help, or not? Because I'm not leaving my tribe leaderless."

He scowled. He had no choice, he _needed_ Herrah's help. "...fine. If that will make you help, then I will."

The spider queen smirked, and soon he found himself planning everything out with her. "And after that, on the 11th you will meet up there with I and your fellow Dreamers. Does that make sense?" he asked.

"Yes. And you _will_ uphold your part of the bargain or I will refuse to help." He sighed and nodded, before turning around.

"I will see you then."

He walked out of the room and gestured for his bodyguards, who had been standing outside at Herrah's request, to follow him. Herrah came out behind him, and after a moment he saw two spiders walk up to him. "I am having two of my weavers escort you out of Deepnest. There have been several Nosk sightings lately."

He had heard of Nosks, but he knew they weren't the real reason he was being escorted. Herrah just wanted him out, and wanted to make sure she wouldn't lose her chance of getting an heir. He bit back a sigh at the thought of what he had to do, but it was too late to find another solution. He would do whatever it took to seal away the angry goddess making innocent bugs suffer.

 _No cost too great_ , he thought as he left the village.


End file.
